Conventionally, image forming apparatuses have employed various covers. A variety of techniques have been proposed for restricting the opening angle of such covers with connecting members linking the cover to the body of the image forming apparatus. Generally, linkages or string members have been used as the connecting members. However, image forming apparatuses using linkages must allocate a special space for accommodating the linkages when the cover is closed, making it more difficult to produce a more compact device. String members require less space than linkages and are therefore preferable from the perspective of producing a compact image forming apparatus. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-281771 gives one example of an image forming apparatus employing string members (wires) as cover connecting members.